{"id":31733,"date":"2022-09-10T15:41:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:41:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-strategies-for-keeping-your-small-group-on-track-through-the-holidays\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:41:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:41:55","slug":"3-strategies-for-keeping-your-small-group-on-track-through-the-holidays","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/3-strategies-for-keeping-your-small-group-on-track-through-the-holidays\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Strategies for Keeping Your Small Group on Track Through the Holidays"},"content":{"rendered":"
Debby Hudson photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Tess Schoonhoven<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cBreaks can kill you,\u201d says Brandon Hiltibidal of Lifeway\u2019s Groups Ministry Team on a recent episode of the Lifeway Leadership Network \u201cGroup Answers\u201d podcast.<\/p>\n

In a four-part series on things that can cripple small group effectiveness, number two on the list was holiday seasons and with it, the hiatus from group meetings.<\/p>\n

\u201cAn exhale can become a permanent hiatus,\u201d Hiltibidal says. \u201cAnytime you get out of the rhythm of meeting on a regular basis, it\u2019s hard to get it going again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Brain Daniel, Chris Surratt and Hiltibidal gave three primary ways to ensure a group doesn\u2019t die off during a break.<\/p>\n

1. Communicate clearly. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Be intentional about when the last meeting of the current season will be and when the group will pick back up again.<\/p>\n

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Daniel says it is important to make sure the starting points and ending points are well defined.<\/p>\n

The end of the current season must be strong to be able to launch back up again after the break on a high note.<\/p>\n

\u201cHave a plan, communicate the plan, stick to the plan,\u201d Surratt says.<\/p>\n

Being proactive and getting ahead in scheduling gatherings as holiday seasons get closer is vital to ensure group health.<\/p>\n

\u201cClarity is crucial,\u201d Surratt says. \u201cLet people know what the holiday plan is so they can prepare.\u201d<\/p>\n

2. Create a culture where group members are eager to be with one another. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Approach small group members as family and friends, not just group attendees, so that during those break seasons it will be more natural to find time to spend together.<\/p>\n

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See also  The Power of the Ordinary Moments<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Although official meetings aren\u2019t taking place there\u2019s still a lot of room to bond with each other, Daniel says.<\/p>\n

Serve together. Do something missional focused.<\/p>\n

And again, Daniel says, get it on the calendar ahead of time.<\/p>\n

3. Be okay with taking a break. <\/strong><\/h3>\n

Taking a break is necessary for rest and recuperation, especially as the host and leader of a small group, Surratt says.<\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t feel guilty about it,\u201d Surratt says. \u201cTake a breather, it\u2019s okay.\u201d<\/p>\n

Understand that breaks, if managed and set up well, can be beneficial in many ways.<\/p>\n

Surratt also recommended suggesting a devotional book to group members during the holiday season as a way to remind them that while the group may take a break, discipleship doesn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

By maintaining clear communication about start and end points, intentionally planning other spaces to bond with the group outside of a regular meeting, and making use of real rest during the break, the holiday season can strengthen, not dissolve, small groups.<\/p>\n

TESS SCHOONHOVEN (@TessSchoonhoven)<\/strong> is a former intern with <\/em>Facts & Trends and a recent graduate of California Baptist University.<\/em><\/p>\n

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Dig Deeper at Lifeway.com<\/div>\n
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Leading Small Groups: How to Gather, Launch, Lead, and Multiply Your Small Group<\/h2>\n

Chris Surratt<\/p>\n

FIND OUT MORE <\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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What Do Pastors Believe About the End Times? What Do Pastors Believe About the Book of Revelation? 3 Ways to Reach Non-Religious People in Your Community <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Debby Hudson photo – Unsplash By Tess Schoonhoven \u201cBreaks can kill you,\u201d says Brandon Hiltibidal of Lifeway\u2019s Groups Ministry Team on a recent episode of the Lifeway Leadership Network \u201cGroup Answers\u201d podcast. In a four-part series on things that can cripple small group effectiveness, number two on the list was holiday seasons and with it, … Continue reading “3 Strategies for Keeping Your Small Group on Track Through the Holidays”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-31733","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31733","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31733"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31733\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31733"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31733"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31733"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}